The Real Group Academy in a two year EU project with Latvian and Estonian music organisations

The Real Group Academy (TRGA) was asked to join a project to work for creating contact between young musicians and make way for future jobs.

In 2016 Katarina Henryson and Caroline Berg from TRGA went to Riga for the first meeting with the Estonian partner from ERP management and festival organizers represented by Johannes and Inna Davidova Herman Braun Foundation, who manages the project in Latvia.

There have been several meetings, workshops and concerts during the course of the two years and from The Real Group Academy´s point of view the project has been fun, fruitful and surprising. Two keywords that seem to be essential throughout the work have been ”communication and curiosity”. The Real Group Academy has brought ideas and methods about how to work non – hierarchically and to have positive reinforcement at the top of the agenda.

To feel how the singers get empowered and how new doors can open a little is not only great for the music but it obviously creates a good environment for new contacts to be made.

Peder and Katarina from The Real Group Academy held a workshop in Riga and another one in Stockholm.

The latter had among others, two young Swedish vocal groups participate for full day workshops.

TRGA had the opportunity of incorporating the wonderful female Latvian vocalgroup

”Latvian Voices” both as workshop participants and to perform. It was also possible include pedagogues in the Stockholm session which was a valuable addition although the education and contact between young musicians were at the centre of the project.

The improvisation group Format, formed by students from Södra Latin school of Music and took part in 2 trips to Riga. The contact between Latvian Voices and Format - 2 female vocal groups at different points in their career and development- contributed with musical energy that we could only dream of!

Katarina had the great opportunity to meet with five Latvian incredibly experienced pedagogues and hold a workshop on ensemble improvisation.

It is very valuable for The Real Group Academy to concretely be able to make the connections and act on them the ay we were able to do it through this project. Thank you EU and Thank you Inna Davidova form Herman Braun Foundation for your persistence, trust and your ambition to make paths for music to happen.